Over almost 60 years in the League Cup, Arsenal have faced fourth-tier opposition on numerous occasions, finding different ways to prevail at some of the more obscure venues on the English football map.

In 1985, we drew Hereford United for the second season in succession, having faced the Bulls in the FA Cup the season before when we drew at Edgar Street in a bruising encounter before coasting through 7-2 in the Highbury replay. 

However, the going was even tougher for the Gunners when the two clubs met again in the League Cup second round during Don Howe’s last season in charge. We were lucky to return home with a goalless draw in the first leg, and at a nervous Highbury, Ian Wells' header gave the fourth-tier side the lead after 24 minutes. 

Although Viv Anderson equalised, some Hereford fans in the Clock End prematurely celebrated at the end of 90 minutes, believing their side had progressed on the away goals rule. But extra time was required, and with just seven minutes remaining, Charlie Nicholas popped up to secure a 2-1 aggregate win. In an era of regular cup shocks for the Gunners, there was widespread relief that the ‘Bonnie Prince’ had saved our blushes. 

In January 1993, we were involved in a combative fourth-round encounter at Scarborough's McCain Stadium, affectionately dubbed the ‘Theatre of Chips’ by their supporters. Despite a thick fog obscuring much of the first-half action, we laboured on a glue-pot pitch, but the mists cleared after the break, and the one moment of quality came from the tenacious Nigel Winterburn. 

Bursting forward, our left-back barged past his marker and rifled in an unstoppable shot from 25 yards. It was the game's only goal, and a memorable moment for our hardy away supporters who’d ventured up to East Yorkshire. We would lift the trophy at Wembley four months later, defeating Sheffield Wednesday in the final.

After dispatching Hartlepool United 7-0 on aggregate in the League Cup in 1994/95, we faced the fourth-tier outfit again the following season. Bruce Rioch took his side to a freshly spruced-up Victoria Park for the first leg, and our first goal came when new signing Dennis Bergkamp hooked the ball across the penalty area and skipper Tony Adams rifled the ball home. Ian Wright’s excellent diving header made it 2-0 and Adams poked home another to make it 3-0. 

The tabloid media seemed obsessed with the fact that Bergkamp still hadn't broken his duck for the Gunners. But the Dutchman, who’d been signed from Inter Milan in the close season, was already off the mark by the time of the return leg, and at Highbury he netted two clinically taken goals, but Wright trumped him by nabbing another Gunners hat trick, with his first – a beautifully lobbed finish, the pick of the bunch as we cruised to an 8-0 aggregate win.